A MAN has written a book about his grandad, a former Darwen FC footballer, to keep his memory alive.

Harry Tyrer played football for Darwen from 1895 to 1898, at the peak of his 22-year career.

And his proud grandson Graham Smith, 70, of Highfield Street, Haslingden, has now documented his career.

The book is available to read and to buy at Darwen Library, Knott Street.

Mr Smith, a long-time Burnley season ticket-holder, said he felt it was important to get the memory of Mr Tyrer in print to prevent his family history getting lost.

He said: “I did a lot of research and went to a lot of libraries, such as Darwen and Blackpool.

“There is a lot on the internet but I found it easier to go to the libraries and dig it out.

“My mother and aunt had kept some pictures and cuttings from his football career.

“The book is as much for my family as it is for anything else.

“There was a worry that things get lost, for instance if you move house and find a big bag of photos they could just get chucked.”

Harry, who was originally from Halsall near Ormskirk, moved to the area to play for Eagley, near Bolton, in 1882, aged 14.

He spent four years there before playing for Turton, Bolton Wanderers, Blackpool, Darwen, and then again for Turton.

He played 92 games in his three seasons at Darwen, scoring 22 goals. He left the club aged 30, just one season before the club was finally relegated from the Football League.

Mr Smith, who taught history at Barden Secondary School, Burnley, from 1969 to 1992, said: “The best bit in doing all the research was finding a couple of quotes from Harry, which is quite something considering it is more than 100 years since he played.

“There is one match report from when he was at Blackpool when he played on the wing with Albert Bond.

“Apparently he shouted ‘owd up a bit Albert’, which caused some amusement for the crowd.

“I never met Harry but I have heard stories from family members who say he was a bit of a character.”